The present invention relates to water treatment systems, and, particularly, to water treatment systems using ozone.
Ozone (chemical formula O.sub.3) has been used extensively since the turn-of-the-century for treatment and purification of water such as municipal drinking water, swimming pool water, and cooling tower water. It is the most powerful oxidant available for water treatment and is unsurpassed in killing bacteria and other microorganisms.
In a typical application, ambient air is compressed in an air compressor. The air is then made extremely dry by an air drying system which can include air filters, a refrigerative drier, and a dessicant drier. The dry, filtered air then passes through an ozone generator which converts some of the oxygen (O.sub.2) in the air to ozone. Pure oxygen can also be used to feed the ozone generator. The ozonated air is then mixed with water, in a gas-liquid contactor system, so that the ozone can dissolve into and treat the water.
Typically, the gas-liquid contactor system is a packed or plate column, bubble column, spray tower, injector or turbine, or an in-line static mixer. Each of these systems requires water pumps that consume energy and are relatively expensive to purchase and install.
There are several drawbacks to the existing ozone treatment systems. Both the compressor that is used to supply the necessary compressed air and the contact system pump consume valuable energy. Both the air compressor and the pump have moving parts that require maintenance. Both the air compressor and the pump are relatively expensive components of the ozone treatment system.